Josh Coulson has been ruled out for the rest of the season and Medy Elito faces around three months on the sidelines as Cambridge United deal with a double injury blow.

Centre-back Coulson needs an operation on an ankle injury he sustained in a challenge from Paris Cowan-Hall against Wycombe Wanderers.

And midfielder Elito requires a long rest to try to overcome the knee problem which flared up in the FA Cup, first-round replay at Dover Athletic.

“Josh Coulson has had some pretty terrible news in terms of his ankle injury, which requires an operation,” said U’s manager Shaun Derry at his pre-match press conference ahead of Sunday’s home FA Cup tie with Coventry City.

“That’s put paid to Josh’s season for this year, which is disastrous for him and bad news for us, of course it is.

“He was and will continue to be a fully committed Cambridge United player.

“To lose him in the manner we lost him – I still don’t know how the incident happened, but it has.